Many a long month now the colourful Moos had been missed chewing the cud out on the pastures here. Thankfully the civic powers are bringing them back, the cows together with the Happy Hearts that were being hung on trees throughout the parks and open spaces across the Republic. No sooner was the Happy Cows, Happy Hearts campaign reported in the Straits Times this morning than three trees on the walkway from Aljunied MRT could be seen sporting the fibre-glass signage on their trunks. (Out of easy reach of treasure-hunters.) The Aljunied Hearts showed the undulant contours of full-to-bursting health and vitality, luscious rich tones that might outlast a fortnight in the sun.
Happy Hearts Love Green the leading hearts on the trees at Aljunied called in white cursive to the foreign Mainland Chinese and Indian workers returning from their construction sites. The campaign also marked fifty years since Mr. LKY began his famous tree-planting campaign, coinciding with the levelling of the forest that had created the haven on the equator.
Moove Media had been in the forefront of the promotion of a kinder society in Singapore. Six hundred of the agency's cows were due to be placed in over 50 locations across the island to remind the populace "to zoom out to see things that are of more value surrounding us—family, the environment and care for people", according to Moove M. CEO Jayne Kwek.
Together with the hearts tied to the tree trunks others have been mounted on the backs of selected cows in the herds. Green, orange & blue cows; hearts vibrant red.
Earlier in the week the S. T. provided space to the head of the Nature Society, who in a carefully restrained Op-ed piece drew attention to the dwindling greenery of the island. Currently there remained 29% remnant forest cover on Singapore. The Nature man drew attention to the difference between that kind of greenery and the kerb-side planting, the roof-top gardens, cultivated parks; &etc.
“Wild greenery makes S'pore a global eco-city," the headline.
Whereupon a letter to the editor shot off same day.
Dear sir/madam
It seems to me an important error has been made in your newspaper on the Opinion page, May 1 2013.
Your newspaper gave prominent and welcome space to Mr. Ho Hua Chew's concerns about the threats to Singapore's natural greenery, as distinct from the deceptive fringe greenery on roof-tops, roadsides, parks and the like. As an outsider, it seems to me your city-state, like many other places (my own town of Melbourne included), can often become complacent about loss of greenery because of the plantings along the streets and gardens.
My concern too with your presentation of Mr. Ho's offering is in regard to the misleading heading the item was given. Rather than "Wild greenery makes S'pore a global eco-city,” more properly reflecting the content of the article might have been something like: "Threat to S'pore's remaining wild greenery;” or "Shrinking wild greenery bodes us ill.”
Your headline is a misrepresentation of what is a sharply pointed warning.
Thanks to Mr. Ho for a carefully argued case.
Pavle Radonic
757 Geylang Road
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